The Statue's First Offerings

<-- At the tail end of the Shadowlight Collective's meeting to discuss final Ascension planning, Gurashi received an unexpected message...

A flush of scarlet passion rolls through your body, filling it with an alien sense of love and desire so strong that you are nearly overwhelmed.

Caressing your ear, the voice of Tonatiuh whispers, "Beloved Gurashi, you must come see, but bring a piece of essence, and I shall show you what was shown me."

Your melodic voice sings into Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold's mind, "E-essence? Like, light stuff??"

Caressing your ear, the voice of Tonatiuh whispers, "Yes! Exactly that."

Antennae sagging abruptly, you say, "Ah... I am sorry, I need to ... unexpectedly depart." They fidget. "But I will, ah, return, if I yam able."

Your melodic voice sings into Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold's mind, "I-I will be right there!"

Calioliahali tells you, "*a faint sense of concern stretches across the aethers toward you* Understood. Ah... Be safe, my apotheosis. I love you."

A darkened, solemn corner.
Throughout the location, small dancing flames flicker and spark. Decayed oranges crumble into a glowing gold dust, with clouds rising up in a swirl around the center of the chamber, their movement frozen as if time has paused. A pervading sense of stillness emanates from the sight, with little to no smell or airflow to indicate decomposition is still ongoing. Shafts of light peek through silken fabrics obscuring the entrance in a wall of translucent saffron cloth, with some folds thin enough to cause the light outside to cast the curtain's warm glow into the dust-filled dome chamber, but thick enough to hide the contents of the chamber. The sunset orange light illuminates an intricate tile mosaic of the Dreadform of Iklara, its serpentine form coiling with its maw fixed open in the center ready to clamp shut. The dome overhead is painted in thousands of hues as they bleed pigments into one another in a swirling mass that slowly fades to black as it reaches the floor. Barely visible in the maw of the Dreadform that threatens to consume Her, a stained glass statue of the Thousand-Hued struggles to rise skyward from the centre of the mosaic. A black phoenix perches here, his fiery plumage illuminating the area with black fire. A voidcopper-chapleted hierophant chants quietly here, thick plumes of smoke rising languorously from the strands of resinous incense bundles that sway hypnotically from his wrists.
You see a single exit leading southwest.

You chitter at Tonatiuh with energetic clicks of your mandibles.

Faintly buzzing, you whisper, "Beloved..."

You have emoted: Gurashi wrings together their hands, clutching in them a bit of light essence. "D-does the type... matter?"

Tonatiuh flashes you a joyous smile.

LOOKIT HE
He is a fierce dracnari selcouth demigod and gleams like fresh ivory, minute triangular scales rippling with pearlescent flame-kissed shimmer along a slender, serpentine body. There is strength there despite the lean, half-starved appearance, the corded muscles of endurance rather than raw power. Maze-like reticulations in deep indigo and gleaming gold trace competing labyrinthine patterns across his entire body, but there the illusion of relative normalcy ends. His head is a naked reptilian skull, bereft of flesh or scale. Too many yellow eyes crowd where only two should be, seven in fact, fighting for space and focus. Some blink, some stare, some roll back in their sockets as if stuck in a terrifying trance. Languid coils of burnt citrus and crushed eucalyptus incense trail him like a faithful hound, exotic and raw in their sharp perfume. A chaos butterfly is resting on his shoulder. Tattooed on his hands is an illustration of obscure indigo imagery upon the palms.
Menacing horns twist upon themselves like crooked spires on his head, their dully reflective circumferences rigid enough to accommodate silver wire criss-crossing to either side in a wretched dreamcatcher. Bent and cracked bells abuse their clappers betwixt these, a disharmony brought to life with each twist of head or subtle movement.
He is wearing:
a resin-streaked mark of the Paragon of Paradigms glinting with voidcopper upon his forehead
a shifting, living poppy of bronze petals pressed into an empty eye socket
a smouldering dragon pin fixed haphazardly to the dreamcatcher between his horns
a vibrant saffron festival cape wound tightly around his left forearm
a lively tangerine festival cape wound tightly around his right forearm
a voidcopper stole of metal-spun keys and spiced resin sachets hangs from his shoulders, chiming and rattling with ominous portent as it releases wafts of intoxicating fragrance.

LOOKIT ME
Looking somewhat diminished, they are a compound-eyed kephera kindly demigod changeling. Standing shy of two meters tall, their entire body is plated with a charcoal-black chitinous exoskeleton, housing a broad sunset-hued thorax. At the very center of their chest is what looks to be a scar, or a stain of blue-violet, permanently marring their carapace. Two bulbous red eyes sit on either side of a wedge-shaped head, and a long, thin pair of antennae protrude from atop their skull, the left permanently sagging. Where their mouth would be sits a pair of marred, jagged mandibles. Dual sets of spiny black-and-orange arms are affixed to their torso, the top set of which are long and thewy while the second are spindly and pulled close to their chest. A long abdomen hangs down to their knees, is angled away from their back and ribbed in full muted bands of orange and black. Their legs are long and covered in thick orange plates with tiny black spines tracing down the back of their calves, ending in small segmented dual-toed feet. Set on either side of their lower back are two delicate orbs that rasp and click as they take deep, slow breaths. Two pairs of veiny, translucent wings looking far too small for their body size hang stiffly from their back. Two tendril-like scars wind their way up the kephera's primary arms, marring their knuckles, the backs of their hands, and ending just before the elbow, the chitin forever seared. Soothing mists of water and light weave about them in a sparkling white veil, marking the truefavour of Lantra, the Empyreal. A steel-hued scar traces along their cheek, gifted by Terentia, the Even Bladed, for their mettle in the field of battle.
They are wearing:
a starry wreath of celestial light set atop their head like a halo
a circlet of crystal thorns resting loosely atop their head
a vivid red-orange poppy tucked lovingly behind their left ear
a sunset cloak of the darkening sea which hangs off of their right shoulder asymmetrically
the Mantle of Starlight which flows dreamily about their shoulders and back
mercurial Mysraian prayer beads pulled taut against their right wrist
minty citrus incense beads pulled taut against their right wrist
aromatic cedar and cinnamon incense beads pulled taut against their right wrist
a shifting, living poppy of teal-coloured petals worn delicately upon their left wrist
a charming wedding ring bearing a miniature white ghodak stone fitted securely to their left ring finger

You look at Tonatiuh hopefully.

You chitter at Tonatiuh with energetic clicks of your mandibles.

You click your mandibles together energetically, chittering to yourself.

A hot flash of anger spikes through your very being as dark crimson sends bloodied splotches across the statue's complexion. They will never touch Her. Not again.

LOOKIT STATUE
A seamless rise from the mosaic below, the hungering mouth of the Dreadform of Iklara rises like the jaw of some great beast breaching the ocean, bulging and warping the floor surrounding it to uncomfortable, distended extremes. Obvious is the object of its hunger, as lithe nacre gleams even in the darkness here; sculpted into a perfect reconstruction of the opalescent skin of Ashtariel, the Thousand-Hued, who desperately struggles to rise upward from the slavering maw of Her pursuer and the manifold tentacle-like tongues wrapped about Her waist. Stained glass is deftly woven into and through the mother-of-pearl She is formed of, spilling radiant motes of colour across Her flesh as She is observed. Her slim hands grasp for something, or perhaps Someone, in the distance - the golden dust throughout the room drawn to Her fingertips where the dying essence of what was stolen paints Her flesh in renewed stains of kaleidoscopic pigment that spill down Her countenance.

You tilt your head, gaze softening as you frown.

Tonatiuh clacks his bony jaws together with an eerie rattle, a pair of eyes twist to pin you in a piercing stare while the rest linger upon the statue still. "I do not think it does, no. Gurashi, come see, come closer. The Moth on Scarlet Wings, the Most Beloved, They bid us to sate Her hunger with essence, to fill Her with our prayers, our worship."

You twitch your mandibles as you voice a soft, curious chirr.

Golden shades radiate from your chest and your heart beats faster with newly-appeared determination.

Tonatiuh murmurs something unintelligible to himself.

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "To give Her strength we must use ours."

You have emoted: As they are bid to, Gurashi shuffles forward, head slightly bowed, a bit of light essence cupped preciously in their hand. "I-I will help," They whisper, stopping before they reach the statue. "Ah? Ohwah?"

You stare at a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued, eyes wide.

You have emoted: Gurashi tentatively steps even closer, gently pressing a bit of light essence to where one of the red splotches had briefly been. "I will help," They whisper, as if tending to a wound.

You put a bit of light essence into a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued.
As a bit of light essence is slowly absorbed into the stained skin of a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued, a small rush of power washes over you and causes your flesh to sprout small goose pimples as strange, alien feelings wash over you.

You twitch your mandibles as you voice a soft, curious chirr.

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "She will need more than just essence, our words and prayers too, it will take all of the Beloved together to see this through."

Faintly buzzing, you say, "... our words..."

You have emoted: Gurashi studies the statue, frowning. "And prayers..." Their attention drifts back to Tonatiuh, mandibles clicking against their face. "Like the globes in the Most Beloved's Fulcrux, when the world was ending last time... only... essence - that is something physical. I can do..."

Faintly buzzing, you whisper, "All three .... will do all three..."

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says to you, "Did you notice too? The Vaults.. only for the Beloved now."

Softly, you say, "No more visitors ..."

Tonatiuh taps a slender claw against an indigo oracle staff bearing hieroglyphic suns, sending copper fireflies into a frenzied dance. They coalesce to form a glowing glyph, a circle? an orange? The symbol dissipates as quickly as it forms.

You have emoted: Gurashi chitters softly, gazing up morosely towards a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued. Then, they look to Tonatiuh, chittering. "Have you already prayed?" They ask. "What did you say?"

With a single eye flicking to Gurashi momentarily, Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "It seems no, not for now, not while we work to fill Her cup and then... then we shall - ". The lean dracnari shakes his head at the question. "Not yet, not yet.""

Tonatiuh ponders a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued thoughtfully, looking it up and down.

Softly, you ask, "Will you tell the other Beloved? Likes you told me? To bring essence, and, and, prayers and, strength...?"

You have emoted: Gurashi looks back to the statue, folding together their hands. "I will think of a prayer...ah..."

Tonatiuh nods his bony head, twin plumes of ash and cinders as he exhales. "All shall know so all can help."

You have emoted: Gurashi shuffles up before the statue, their wings snapping opened and closed, all four hands clasped together tightly as they speak to a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued.

Earnestly, you say, "Will do all that can to helps makes Your wishes come true, yes. Be-cause Love makes impossible things more possible, yes! And, together, we are stronger than when we try, a-lone." They inhale softly. "I know that wishes can come true because -mine- came true, and I even met a whole real star to proves it! And ... and so I wish that the Most Beloved's wish will come true, too. I hopes beyond hopes, with every single fiber of my beings, with every threads of my existences. Yes yes."

You twitch your mandibles as you voice a soft, curious chirr.

You have emoted: Gurashi lifts their gaze to the statue once more, their clasped hands lowering slightly, giving them a resigned look. Slowly their attention drifts back to Tonatiuh, and they chitter softly.

Faintly buzzing, you whisper, "... I can get ... like... soooo many essences."

Tonatiuh places a slender clawed hand upon the charcoal chitin of your shoulder. Static sparks shiver through the contact.

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "Thousand-Hued, hear our prayers. We shall be tireless in our efforts, united in our cause. Your cause. May freedom come swiftly to You. May Their Will be done."

Faintly buzzing, you say, "We will go in Love..."

Tonatiuh murmurs a soft affirmation.

You have emoted: Gurashi looks at the hand on their shoulder, chittering softly. "And also do our best, yeah." They smile weakly. "Our best..."

You close your eyes and inhale deeply, absorbing the scent of your surroundings.

You twitch your mandibles as you voice a soft, curious chirr.

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "No time to waste, none at all."

Chittering softly, you say, "Uhm, the water plane was -just- cleared. So I do not think there will be a-any there. I could check Air... am certain would not mind...."

Faintly buzzing, you ask, "M-my soul will be needing to rest. Do think I will have time to helps next month too?"

You have emoted: Gurashi looks sincerely concerned, gazing at Tonatiuh with bobbing antennae.

Tonatiuh nods his head enthusiastically at you.

You fidget impatiently.

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "Absolutely... Her hunger will take time to sate, if we even can, but we shall know when we have done enough."

Softly, you ask, "Her hunger... the Most Beloved's?"

You stare at a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued, eyes wide.

Softly, you say, "Or ..."

Tonatiuh nods towards the statue. "Yes."

Your melodic voice sings into Calioliahali Skydrifter's mind, "My dearest, my darlingest - i-is it alright if I take the essences from t-the air plane? For ...."

Calioliahali tells you, "You are of course welcome to it, my apotheosis. *the tinge of concern from before grows somewhat* Are you well?"

You have emoted: Gurashi nods wordlessly, shoulders sagging. "...then, I will get started." Slowly they turn to Tonatiuh, frowning. "...Beloved, are -you- well?"

Sultan Tonatiuh al-Saaoud, Oracle Thousandfold says, "Need to rest for a bit myself, but will write to the Beloved very soon, so all know what is expected."

Softly, you say, "I will get started ... ah..."

Tonatiuh squeezes your chitinous arm. "Speak soon, yes?"

Your melodic voice sings into Calioliahali Skydrifter's mind, "...it is ... the Most Beloved ... a plan .... *their voice is high and curious, far off - flustered* Do you...is the meeting going O-K?"

You have emoted: Gurashi nods shyly, mandibles clicking against their face. "G-get you some rest. Work on your post... g-goodly luck. I will start..."

You nod your head sagely at Tonatiuh.

You give Tonatiuh a friendly squeeze.

<-- rushes off to do the thing!! collect the essence! NYOOM~!!

You shiver violently.

As a bit of cloud essence is slowly absorbed into the stained skin of a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued, a small rush of power washes over you and causes your flesh to sprout small goose pimples as strange, alien feelings wash over you.

You tilt your head, gaze softening as you frown.

Softly, pleadingly, you say, "...please, let it work..."

You look at a stained-glass statue of the Thousand-Hued hopefully.

Your melodic voice sings into Calioliahali Skydrifter's mind, "*an exhausted thrum* I am done... I think..."